"Roots In Kashmir" is an initiative launched by us, the Kashmiri Pandit Youth, to reclaim our Roots that identify us. Even though we have been hounded out of our homes and hearths in the Kashmir valley, our "Roots" are very much anchored in the Vitasta Valley. This is an initiative to protest and raise the general awareness of public to a level where our "fight for our roots" is felt, heard and acted upon.
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Thursday, February 14, 2008

YASIN MALIK AND THE INDIA TODAY CONCLAVE

It wouldn’t be the first or the last time in the history of mankind that a killer is freed or elevated to a position which in all likelihood he doesn’t deserve. The crowd has sometimes chosen to free Barbaras and instead crucify Jesus. It has been us the”Ashraf-ul-makhlooq” who chose to stone Hallaj to death.

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So when India Today decided to invite Yasin Malik as a speaker in one of their sessions titled "Youth Forum - If I Could Change The World” they were only following what fellow human beings in done in the past. What however shocked me was this description (http://conclave.digitaltoday.in/2008/speakersprofile.html#mailik) wherein they mentioned nothing of his pending TADA cases some indeed as shocking as kidnapping the then Union Home Minister’s daughter (which he has himself admitted to, read here, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/484093.cms ) , or killing 4 unarmed air-force officials. When someone recently asked him about the killings of 4 unarmed air-force officers who were waiting to board a bus, he blurted almost nonchalantly” The IAF personnel were not innocent victims. They were the agents of the 'enemy'.

So was it fair to kill these personnel Mr.Malik? The answer in all likelihood meant YES.

-Yet once again when a respected columnist and someone who runs an online periodical asked him this ,” I find it strange, because it was your organization JKLF that killed most of the innocent Kashmiri Pandits and yet the blame goes to the so-called fundamentalists.” he had no answer. What then prompted INDIA TODAY to call his so called movement a secular one?

-When quizzed” But you are responsible for such killings as Chief Commander?-

Praveen Swami, writes in his column titled” J&K: Veils and Daggers – The Perils of India’s Secret Search for Peace“What did surprise observers was the Lashkar-e-Taiba’s choice of chief guest: the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader, Mohammad Yasin Malik. Ever since the JKLF renounced ‘armed struggle’ a decade ago, after its decimation at the hands of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Malik has repeatedly asserted on more than one occasion that he is committed to the principles of Mahatma Gandhi. Malik has also claimed the JKLF’s struggle is ‘secular’, despite its past involvement in attacks on the Kashmiri Pandit community, while the Lashkar-e-Taiba makes no secret of its loathing for Hindus, Jews and other ‘unbelievers’.( http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/sair/Archives/4_31.htm)

-Now if INDIA TODAY would have cared to know a little more about its “Youth Icon” they would have known that the man on board is a remorseless killer and a kidnapper who doesn’t mind sharing space with the most fanatic organisations like Lashkar.I am at my wits end trying to read what could have prompted INDIA TODAY to invite such a man to their conclave.Could it be that Yasin Malik a former terrorist and a dreaded man even now, may have a vision for India.Doesn’t his vision flow from the power of the AK-47 that he first brought to Kashmir.How could a multicultural Indian ethos draw its vision from a man whose entire philosophy has been based on hate.It was he and I remember vividly, when he shouted “Azadi Ka Matlab kya…and his followers responded La-illah Illalah”.If this is his vision for India I can only say”Ya Allah mujhe nijaat aise vision se ya maut de” and I am sure Yasin Malik is still capable of giving me death as he done to my fellow Kashmiri brethren in the past.

-Is the sacred thread of secularism in India so fragile that it would have broken had Yasin Malik not been invited to this conclave. Let us for arguments’ sake accept that Yasin Malik has indeed given up us rogue ways and is now following the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi. Does it mean that we are condone his sins of past? Are we to simply press the delete button on and forget his sinful,ferocious and perverse past? Should there be no retribution for his sins? If Sanjay Dutt is to imprisoned time and again for having a Kalishnikov are we to simply accept that Yasin Malik is above the law. Don’t we all know it was he who brought guns and thus violence to Kashmir? Despite all his acrobatics he remains but a killer, an ordinary criminal on street.-

There is no doubt that the government has been lax on its part in dealing with criminals like him. There still isn’t a charge-sheet for either his involvement in killings of IAF officers or for kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed. Even if he has changed sides now, as we are made to believe, isn’t the government trying to buy peace at a very high price. Sorry maybe I have lost plot but how different is the INDIA TODAY group from our sick government. How could it not read and know what this man’s past and even his present. When a local newspaper called Chattan wrote against him, he had them threatened and even their office destroyed. Murtaza Shibli writes in his description of him that,” He is known for his bad language - he swears and smokes regularly despite a heart condition”. Wouldn’t it be funny to say the least that in his fit of anger (probably a dirty baggage of his militant past, when he could get angry and kill people at will) he assaults Aditya Mittal or Preity Zinta much like he did to a much older and almost venerable Abdul Ghani Butt in a Hurriyat meeting.

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I am appealing through this blog to the INDIA TODAY group to re-consider its decision to invite a remorseless killer, kidnapper and a terrorist to its conclave. His presence at their conclave would only blemish their spotless reputation as a responsible media house. It is also my humble request to the other speakers to raise their voice and refuse to share dais with a hardened criminal and a terrorist.

29 comments:

India Today is behaving like a small time fish market trader with a dangerously narrow vision.And i do not see any possibility of a change in stance on its part.No wonder its circulation has gone to the dogs.Lets call their bluff and show them what we can do even with our small numbers.Let us stage a vociferous protest..

Our caring government never spared an opportunity to humilate us not just in india but across the globe as wel.

Kp's were foricably pushed out of their homes, deprived of their basic rights, left on to their own destiny thanks to the caring Government yet again.

The felicitation of dreaded terorist Yasin malik sharing the dias with some of the most prominent personalities of India is an effort yet again to humilate us to death.

I strongly condemn this and would go any limits to make sure that this dreaded terorist is cut to his size and rather than talking about the youth of india he should be tried in the court of law, if one exists at all.

The only think that I can say is that the country is being taken for a ride by our so called intellectuals who have no problem in forgetting the crimes that a person like YM has committed. We will achnowledge as a youth icon a person who is responsible for killings of kashmiri pandits and the armed forces people.The government doesnt have the guts or willingness to take some one who killed its own soldiers to task but the "intellectuals" could do better. Hey how about Bharat Ratna award for the "Great" Malik Sahib.

It is really very sad that India Today is promoting and patronizing known terrorists like Yasin Malik! Looks like being anti-India pays in India and to kill unarmed airforce personnel is rewarded by agents like India Today. I shudder to think what message India Today is trying to convey to the youth of India - I hope and pray that the message is not "it is Okay to kill patriotic citizens and members of Indian armed forces".Hopefully, India Today wakes up before committing an irrepairable blunder.Anil Kaul

Malik ensured ::Blood oozed like WaterBullet for a lifeInsanity spread with ragePeople exiled from HomesOld Kids & Women butcheredFatwa issued against all Hindus Throats were strangulatedHands were tied

If India Today wanted to have a youth icon/leader to participate in the event, they should have done that by asking for right participation. They as everyone else are accountable for all their actions.

Looks like they are playing to their secural friends, in government or otherwise.

It is high time that we tell the people of our country who the real victims of Kashmir are. Calling Militants 'Jihandis" and then invite them to National youth forums is endorsing their cause and existence.India today should be ashamed of calling themselves India today. They rather call themselves Militant today. I think we need to protest. Its a complete mockery of youth of India. Dont tell that we as a nation are so degraded that we need to make Yasin Mailik our youth Icon... SHAME ON INDIA TODAY

The English media is doing only what its Masters want it to do. The media is sold to the highest bidder. They have neither the interest of the Nation nor the interests of the Hindus, in its heart. Most of the leadership of this english media have come out of the Convents and Missionary schools. Completely cutoff from their roots and aliens in their own land. They must be dealt with as the fifth coloumnist. This needs to be advertised across by supporting pro-hindu media and targeting one media company at a time. Ravindra

What 'iconic' thing has Malik done to merit the title of youth icon. Parents don't let youngsters watch late night tv saying 'bacche bigad jaayenge', but what about open exposure to such terrorists and that too such a positive projection? And then we wonder why has violence become so prominent in society! There is a saying, 'if you kill one man, you go to jail, you kill a hundred and you become a leader', this is what we are seeing happening here.

Aroon Purie expresses his thoughts on the topic of the conclave thus , "What India needs is political vision and a leadership that has nothing at stake except India" and then he goes on to invite Yasin Malik and announce him as the reformed leader of a secular party trying to make KASHMIRI HINDUS return.

What else to expect from somebody whose news channel has breaking news as "AMITABH CATCHES COLD"

We can all discuss at lengths here and shred him to pieces, the fact remains that unless we launch a concerted effort now, all it would accomplish is to write a few words with no results. Let us all come together to DO something about. I am proposing the following :

1. to get an online petition and submit it to India today 2. use other competing media agencies to see and make our emotions visible 3. All KP organizations to immd issue a press release condemning this act of India today 4. a daily picket at the venue 5. Get in touch with other session panel members and exhort them to boycott the session

Let us all come together to have this militant unmasked. He cant be a speaker for our cause, for the cause of youth

Let us act NOW and act fast. Rashneesh, can you coordinate this ? let me know whatever support you require

can you create a petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/create_petition.html ? please confirm immd or I woudl create one myself.. since I wantt o use the language you have used in your blog, i would request your permission first. Best is if you could create a petition and send the URL . I had sent a message yesterday as well , outlining a 4 point action plan , but havent rcvd any response.

well guys its enough to write the comments on a blog and share the views,its the time to act as i have started the base work >>i have send the mails to daily excelsior and kashmir herald editors>>as such there was no response from them i want you guys to help me out ,i am reminding them again and i want you to follow the chainhereis the mail that i have sent to daily excelsior jammu editor

HI Sir,

I want to address an issue in your esteemed paper, that what the J&k govt is doing for the sake of those strangled kp's

if every year we get a loads of funds from the central govt.& different organizations for the benifiit of J&k people, then where are we lacking, I think pictures speak more louder than words !

Dineshbhai Patel, You seem to be living in a fool's paradise. If Yasin would have killed and raped and murdered your dear one's around 18 years ago; you wouldn't have dared to comment in the manner you have. Please WAKE UP; its already too late.

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:50:09 -0800 (PST) Subject: Yasin Malik at India Today Conclave To: conclavedesk@intoday.com It will be the sadest day in the history of India Today that a murderer of Indian defence forces besides the killer of Kashmiri Pandits has been invited byIndia Today in the "conclave". India Today has been a regular family magazine to the Kashmiri Pandits when they were in the valley or after their exodus from the valley. Has it to do something towards the appeasement of terrorists & anti-National elements as done by the Indian politicians from time to time? Should we conclude that the patriotic journalists of the tribelike Girilal Jain have become a history of the past?What a shame? I appeal to the Editor in Chief, Shri Aroon Purie, to retrace the step and withdrawinvitation to the murderer and terrorist Yasin Malik. Let India Today rise to the occasion and show to the Nationalist & Patriotic people of India that they have the guts to withdraw the invitation.Ashok Ganju

It is really disgusting when killers of humanity like yasin malik are given so much importance by the media.Not only this journilists, who want to write anything in favour of the actual victims of terrorism-kashmiri pandits, are discouraged to publish anything which reveals the actual sufferings of K.P's.People who have all over their life nurtured the thoughts and acts of murders,rapes and inhuman killings like yasin malik and bitta karate are replacing the gandhian philosophy on which the present govt. claims to follow....real shame...!!!!!....mera bharat mahaan...!!!!!

well this little column may explain Mr Arun purie's intention and compulsion behind organising events where anti-nationals are invited and given importance It all started when Vir Sanghvi, editor, ‘Hindustan Times’ revealed a bitter truth — that you can now be written about in the papers for a token amount of money. This is what he had to say in his hard-hitting column. "Proprietors who don’t tell their readers that they take bribes to manufacture news stories are like thieves who pick your pocket," he writes. And adds, "The people who are selling off their news pages run some of the most profitable papers in the country. The only explanation that makes sense is this: greed. Newspapers prostitute their pages because they can. The people who run them have no commitment to the truth, no interest in greater good, and no respect for the readers. As far as they are concerned, they are in the business to make money. And if they can increase revenues by blurring the distinction between editorial and advertising, by accepting money from politicians to feature them — then they don’t see why they shouldn’t go ahead." ... Of course TOI has been accused of selling the space on their page 3 columns...but then again, instead of journos screaming out foul, we should ask ourselves, is it only TOI? Don't all press confs have some "token" for journos.There are small things...gifts to journos...designer stuff to editors etc...I am in a magazine and I have seen this happen so many times... "Rajeev Srinivasan (rediff.co.in)" wrote:i also wonder about the ownership patterns of the most anti india newspapers. i keep hearing consistent rumors about surrogate ownership of various papers by indian citizens who are merely fronts for foreigners. does anyone have data about this? is this something that can be publicized? The question here is "how much money is Mr arun purie getting from terrorists for organising such events???"Any guesses!!!!!